WESTBURY, N.Y. (March 9, 2015) – Undefeated middleweight Antoine Douglas (16-0-1, 10 KOs) is one of boxing’s fastest-rising prospects. Just 23 years old, the aggressive and exciting Washington, D.C., native will make his 2015 debut this Friday, March 13 against fellow unbeaten Thomas LaManna (16-0, 7 KOs) in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Douglas, who is 1-0-1 in two ShoBox appearances, is looking to prove that he’s earned the moniker “Action” when he faces an opponent who – like himself – has never lost or touched the canvas. More importantly, he’s aiming to continue to erase any doubt about his future as a contender at 160 pounds. Douglas has won two in a row since boxing a hard-fought 10-round majority draw with former world title challenger Michel Soro (23-1-1 going in) last July 25 on ShoBox.

Here’s what Douglas had to say as he prepares for a breakout 2015:

How would you say your career is going?
“My career is going great so far. I am very satisfied with the pace of my career. I’m right where we want to be and in position for a big year.”

Neither one of you has been knocked down as a professional. Do you expect that to change on March 13?
“I really don’t expect anything going into a fight. I just want to put on a great show and put on a great fight. Give it my all.”

You’ve faced the tougher opposition as a pro. How do you stay focused and not look past an opponent?
“This is the sport of boxing and one punch can change any fight. Any fighter has the capability of hurting me so I don’t overlook anyone. LaManna is undefeated. He’s never lost, so I can’t look past him. Anything can happen in there.”

What do you know about LaManna and what kind of fight do you expect?
“I know that he’s tall and has a long reach. I really don’t know what to expect. I know that he tends to lock up to try to stay in a defensive position. I need to take advantage of that by going on the offensive.”

After what you’ve overcome as a youngster, do you consider yourself a survivor? Did boxing save you?
“I wouldn’t consider myself just a survivor. I would consider myself a fighter. I had a lot to fight for in my youth. Boxing helped me get through my issues. It provided me with instruction and discipline. Around the age of 14 I really took control of my life and became a man. I felt like I needed to treat myself as a man.

“When I was in a foster home at 14, my two guardians split up and I was in a position where I needed to make a decision to choose which path to go down. I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today if I didn’t make the decision I made. There weren’t people around me to point me in the right direction, I was on my own. If there were people that were supportive of me, I wasn’t expecting it. I was in the position that I was making the decision solely for myself.”

Getting serious here – your mother was in and out of your life growing up. What keeps you so loyal to her after everything that you’ve been through?
“I understand the fact that everyone goes through things in their life. It’s easy to tell them what they should do. It takes a lot to put your pride aside to be considerate of what people are going through. Too many people put themselves first over others. I took a step back and realized that everything happens for a reason and look how I turned out today. My mother and I have a great relationship now because I was understanding of her situation and didn’t take anything she did intentionally or think that it was directed towards me.”

What did you learn from your last ShoBox fight versus Soro)?. Do you view it as a positive or negative?
“I view the fight with Soro as a positive. In that fight I got down in weight, the smallest I have been in a while. I was at 155 instead of my usual weight of 160. Shedding the pounds really had a big impact on the fight and I realized I am a middleweight and feel comfortable at 160.”

That the Soro fight was called a majority draw — was that a disappointment for you? How did you learn from that?
“It was a great disappointment for me to get a draw, but we know now not to go any smaller than 160. That’s the main thing we learned in that fight. There is such a thing as being too disciplined. People noticed how skinny I was for that fight, but being a disciplined fighter I was determined to make weight. A lot of opponents wouldn’t have taken that fight but it was an opportunity that I wanted to take advantage of. I thought it was a good decision at the time, but I learned a valuable lesson.”

You knocked a guy’s tooth out in your first ShoBox fight (Jan. 17, 2014, versus Marquis Davis) and your mom stole the show in your last appearance. What do you have in store for viewers on March 13?
“I mean, I’m just planning for a great fight. That’s all I can guarantee. I’m not one for superstitions [Friday The 13th]. I can just guarantee it will be a great fight.”

What is your biggest strength? Are you looking for the knockout or do you believe you can go 10 rounds and get the victory that way?
“I believe I can bang for 10 rounds, but that all depends on the opponent. Some guys are strong enough who can go the full 10 rounds. I go in and try to inflict the most amount of damage from the opening bell.

“My biggest strength is my will and determination. There’s never a moment where I want to give up. Even if I get hurt in the ring, I won’t succumb to the fighter. Those are the thoughts that go through my head.”

Jerry Odom is also on this card and you both are from the DC area. You have stated that you two are like roommates. What does it mean to have him on the card with you?
“It means a lot for me. We come from similar humble beginnings and for us to be on the same card is historic for us. We both carry the same common goal and we have a lot that we are fighting for. Being able to do this on such a big stage on SHOWTIME and prove all the naysayers wrong means the world to us. It makes it that much more worth it and fulfilling for us, especially if we both get the victory.”

Your prediction?
“I predict a victory. I have trained and worked very hard for this and am ready to put on a show.”

In the co-feature, unbeaten southpaw Ismael Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, will shoot for his 13th consecutive victory when he faces Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-2, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y., in a 10-round scrap for the NABO Lightweight Title. In an eight-round featured bout, once-beaten Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (12-1, 1 NC, 11 KOs), of Washington D.C., will try and avenge his lone loss when he takes on undefeated Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz., in a super middleweight rematch. In the opening bout, Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KOs), of San Antonio, and Houston’s Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KOs) clash in an eight-round battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights.

Advance tickets for the event promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions, are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425.

The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 12, 2015) – Co-promoters Gary Shaw Productions and Savarese Promotions are happy to announce the 2015 debut of Light-Heavyweight Russian power puncher, Medzhidm “B-52” Bektemirov (14-0, 11 KOs). The undefeated slugger will face James Johnson (28-44-4, 17 KOs) in a 6-round bout at the “Battle on the Mainland” card taking place at the Charles Doyle Convention Center in Texas City, TX on March 13, 2015.

Bektemiorov, who’s knocked out six of his last eight opponents, is looking to keep the momentum going with a spectacular performance. His mindset is to come out guns blazing and go for the knockout early.

“My trainer Ronnie Shields has me working on a lot of different things, but he’s not trying to change my style,” said Bektemirov. “He wants me to stay aggressive without being reckless. I’m ready to drop bombs, hence my name B-52. If the fight goes the distance, I’ll make sure that my opponent takes a lot of punishment. I want to thank Gary and Lou for coming together to take my career to the next level. Everything starts this Friday in Texas City.”

“I’m very pleased from what I’m hearing about B-52’s sparring sessions,” said Gary Shaw. “He’s a tremendous puncher with good footwork. With a veteran trainer like Ronnie Shields guiding the corner, I see him developing into a great fighter.”

“This kid can go,” Lou Savarese stated. “I know we got something special Bektemirov. His name “B-52″ serves him well because he really does drop bombs. I’ve seen him take out a lot of dudes in the gym. I can’t wait to see him get to work this Friday.”

“Battle of the Mainland” tickets priced $35 (general admission), $75 (Table seats) and $100 (Ringside) are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (713) 658-0229 or online at www.SavaresePromotions.com. The Charles Doyle Conventions Center is located at 2010 5th Ave N, Texas City, TX, 77590.

SportsCenter will televise live the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao press conference on Wednesday, March 11, from Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre at 4:30 p.m. ET. SportsCenter’s Lindsay Czarniak will anchor coverage from ESPN’s L.A. studio, and ESPN boxing analyst Teddy Atlas will be in L.A. providing insight and analysis. Neil Everett and Stan Verrett will co-anchor coverage from the Red Carpet outside the Nokia Theatre.

In addition, reporters Jeremy Schaap and Bernardo Osuna will be on site to interview both fighters before and after the press conference. Following the press conference, Czarniak will anchor the 6 p.m. SportsCenter from ESPN’s L.A. studio.

The much-anticipated Mayweather and Pacquiao welterweight title unification showdown will occur on May 2, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Local favorite Tommy “Razor” Rainone will face Saint Paul, Minnesota, veteran Allen Litzau (14-8, 7 KOs) in a six-round welterweight battle to headline the undercard for this Friday, March 13’s exciting night of televised boxing from The Space at Westbury in Westbury, New York.

Rainone vs. Litzau will be the featured untelevised undercard bout in support of the live four-fight broadcast of ShoBox: The New Generation (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) featuring a 10-round middleweight main event between Washington, D.C.’s Undefeated middleweight Antoine Douglas (16-0-1, 10 KOs) and fellow unbeaten Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (16-0, 7 KOs) of Millville, New Jersey, for the WBA-FEDELATIN Middleweight Championship, as well as The SHOWTIME debut of unbeaten southpaw Ismael Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, taking on Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-2, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y., in a 10-round battle for the NABO Lightweight Championship.

In other televised action, Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (12-1, 1 NC, 11 KOs), of Washington D.C., will attempt to avenge his only career loss when he takes on undefeated Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Arizona, in an eight-round super middleweight rematch. In the opening bout, Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KOs), of San Antonio, and Houston’s Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KOs) clash in an eight-round battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights.

Tickets for the event, promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions, are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission and available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425. The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

In other undercard action, Patricia Alcivar (7-3, 3 KOs) of Queens, New York, will face British Columbia, Canada’s Peggy Maerz (2-6-1) in a women’s six-round flyweight battle; New York’s Rich Neves (8-1-1, 4 KOs) will battle San Diego, California’s Joshua Marks (8-5-1, 8 KOs) in a six-round super welterweight bout; and opening the action will be Dave Meloni (1-1, 1 KO) will face Richard Bonds (0-2) of Newburgh, New York, in a four-round super featherweight bout.

###

About Greg Cohen Promotions

One of boxing’s premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world.

Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman.

Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen made headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar.

In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman (50-8-2, 41 KOs); and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James “Lights Out” Toney (74-7-3, 45 KOs).

Current world-rated contenders in the GCP roster include Arash Usmanee, universally recognized as a top-10 super featherweight; former WBA International Middleweight Champion and world-rated middleweight contender Jarrod Fletcher; top-rated featherweight Joel Brunker; cruiserweight Lateef Kayode; Canadian lightweight and TV action hero Tony Luis, and WBA and five-time Irish National Amateur Champion, Dennis Hogan; and Rising Welterweight sensation Cecil McCalla.

Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.

CARSON, Calif. (March 9, 2015) – The return of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (48-1-1, 32 KOs) comes to StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., on Saturday April 18 as the Mexican superstar makes his SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® debut against exciting brawler Andrzej Fonfara (26-3, 15 KOs) in a 12-round light heavyweight bout, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT).

Tickets for the event, which is co-promoted by Goossen Promotions and Chavez Promotions, are priced at $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges, go on sale today at 12 p.m. PT and are available for purchase online at AXS.com.

“I’m excited to get back in the ring and remind everyone that I’m one of the best fighters in the world,” said Chavez Jr. “I have a tough test on April 18, but I am going to pass with flying colors and I look forward to taking on any challengers after that.”

“This is another great opportunity for me and I’m very thankful to have it,” said Fonfara. “I’ve been in there with the best fighters in the world and as always I’m going to try to put on a show for the fans and walk out victorious.”

“Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Andrzej Fonfara are two of the hardest punching boxers in the sport” said Tom Brown of Goossen Promotions. “This fight will be an epic battle of wills and will add another chapter to the long list of outstanding fights that have taken place at the StubHub Center.”

“As a fight fan, I love watching Julio fight. As a network executive, I’m thrilled for him to make his SHOWTIME debut on April 18,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “Julio is one of the most exciting and popular boxers in the sport today, and with a new team behind him, we expect big things from him in 2015. But Andrzej Fonfara is a real test, and he’s proven he’s not intimidated by any opponent.”

The oldest son of the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, the 29-year-old is a former middleweight world champion looking to earn himself another world title shot. Born in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, Chavez Jr. turned pro in 2003 and won his first 23 fights. His first blemish came against Carlos Molina, who he fought to a draw in 2005, before coming back to beat him two months later. After running his record to 41-0-1, he earned a middleweight world title shot against Sebastian Zbik, which he won by majority decision. He would go on to successfully defend his belt against Peter Manfredo Jr., Marco Antonio Rubio and Andy Lee before losing a decision in 2012 to Sergio Martinez. Most recently Chavez Jr. defeated rugged contender Bryan Vera twice, first in 2013 and again in their 2014 rematch.

Born in Warsaw, Poland and fighting out of Chicago, Fonfara is a late-bloomer who has put together a string of impressive recent performances. Last year, the 27-year-old battled lineal light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson for 12 tough rounds and despite dropping a decision, he impressed a lot of fans with his grit and determination. Victorious over former world champions Byron Mitchell, Glen Johnson and Gabriel Campillo, Fonfara’s most recent win came in November 2014 when he dominated Doudou Ngumbu in his adopted home of Chicago, earning him this chance against Chavez Jr.

Chavez Jr. vs. Fonfara, is a 12-round bout that takes place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jcchavezjr1, @andrzej_fonfara, @StubHubCenter and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #ChavezFonfara, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada: In the opening bout of the HBO World Championship Boxing® triple header on March 14, Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (23-2-2, 10 KOs), the #2 light heavyweight in the world, will face undefeated Russian prospect, Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin (17-0-0, 9 KOs) for 12 rounds of non-stop action. Chilemba is technical fighter whereas Lepikhin is a boxer/puncher. Below is the scouting report for this match-up:

Category
Isaac “The Golden Boy” Chilemba
Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin
Age
27
29
Record
23-2-2 (10 KOs)
17-0-0 (9 KOs)
Strength
Chilemba is a skilled technical fighter with incredible endurance and good defense. He utilizes his jab well and has good accuracy with his punches.
Vasily is a boxer/puncher who possesses powerful combinations and a good chin. He fights with confidence and is willing to stand and trade with anybody.
Weakness
“The Golden Boy” does not possess adequate punching power in either hand; he has only recorded one knockout victory since 2011.
Lepikhin tends to not utilize his size and reach, which was on display in his previous bout against the hard-hitting Jackson Junior. He took shots that he did not have to take which could prove costly when facing a boxer as accurate as Isaac Chilemba.
Experience
Chilemba has faced top opposition throughout his career, which includes a pair of bouts with former title challenger Tony Bellew and a win over former title contender Edison Miranda.
“The Professor” will be at a disadvantage here, because he has not yet faced any top-level opposition.
Power
Chilemba will be at a disadvantage here; he recorded only one knockout since 2011 in his most recent bout again the tough and gritty Cory Cummings.
Vasily will have the advantage here. He throws vicious body shots and three of his last four knockouts have come in the first round including one against the hard-hitting and longtime ranked light heavyweight contender, Robert “The Butcher” Berridge.
Speed
Chilemba is very quick on his feet, which makes him difficult to hit at times.
Lepikhin’s speed is on full display during his combinations.
Endurance
Chilemba has excellent endurance, as he has gone 12 rounds eight times in his career.
Vasily has good endurance. He has proven this by going a full 10 rounds on three different occasions, including his most recent bout.
Accuracy
Chilemba is a very accurate puncher; he picks his shots wisely and times his punches well.
Lepikhin has solid accuracy, which can be seen during his work to the body.
Defense
Chilemba will be at an advantage here. He possesses good foot work and moves around the ring very well. He is also an effective counter-puncher, which stems from his defensive skills.
Vasily will be at a disadvantage here. Vasily is a big man that likes to fight the fight of a smaller man. He likes to stand toe-to-toe and will take shots in order to give them right back.
Chin
Chilemba has never been stopped, and was able to get off the canvas to earn a win over previously undefeated Maxim Vlasov after being knocked down twice.
Lepikhin has a solid chin and showed he can overcome an onslaught from a big puncher in his most recent bout with Jackson Junior.
Style
Isaac is a technical fighter with good counter-boxing skills and a good defense.
Vasily is a boxer/puncher who likes to engage with his opponents and utilize his vicious body attack.
Intangibles
Chilemba is sitting comfortably in his division as the WBC #2 contender, and instead of protecting that ranking he has decided to continue fighting the best in the world. He is challenging himself against the highly regarded and ranked Lepikhin. Since 2009, Chilemba has faced opposition with a combined record of 249-46-5.
After knocking off two consecutive power punchers in Robert Berridge and Jackson Junior, “The Professor” has decided to challenge himself and show the world that he can compete against a technical boxer who is also ranked #2 in the world.
Crowd Support
Chilemba may have a slight advantage here, he has been in bigger fights throughout his career and may be more known to the true boxing fans in attendance
Vasily may be at a disadvantage here, but his in-your-face style just might win him some crowd support by the end of the night and by signing a co-promotional agreement with Interbox he may have the Canadian fans on his side.
The Match-up
Will Chilemba use his footwork to make this an easy fight for him and a hard fight for Lepikhin?
Will Chilemba be able to take Lepikhin’s power?
Will Lepikhin be able to break through Chilemba’s defense?
Will Lepikhin be able to cut off the ring and have Chilemba in the place he needs him to be?

According to Jolene Mizzone, Main Events’ matchmaker, “This is a very important fight because this is a very important division right now. The winner of this fight would put himself right in the mix with any of the light heavyweight champions.”

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

Isaac Chilemba vs Vasily Lepikhin March 14th HBO
Isaac Chilemba vs Vasily Lepikhin March 14th HBO

Joe’s Rants: Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal
Joe’s Rants: Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal

Hey Harold! Kovalev vs. Pascal (HBO Boxing)
Hey Harold! Kovalev vs. Pascal (HBO Boxing)

Greatest Hits: Sergey Kovalev (HBO Boxing)
Greatest Hits: Sergey Kovalev (HBO Boxing)

Road to Kovalev-Pascal (Full Show)
Road to Kovalev-Pascal
(Full Show)

WCB: Kovalev vs. Pascal Preview (HBO Boxing)
WCB: Kovalev vs. Pascal Preview (HBO Boxing)

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LAS VEGAS (March 9, 2015) – The complete 12-bout lineup for the highly-anticipated World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. on Saturday, March 28 is complete with the addition of 7 new, live NBCSports.com-streamed preliminary bouts, including two lightweight (155 pounds) contests – Lucas Montoya (8-3) vs. Raymond Pina (4-1), and Benny “El Hijo” Madrid (7-2) vs. Jimmy Spicuzza (5-2).

The remaining additions include a 180-pound catchweight matchup between Joe Gigliotti (3-0) and Brendan “Tiny Shorts” Tierney (11-6), a bantamweight (135 pounds) scrap between Randy Steinke (15-8) and Juan Archuleta (5-0), a middleweight (185 pounds) tilt between Dan Huber (3-2) and Israel Aquino (0-0), a welterweight (170 pounds) contest between Matthew Frincu (5-1) and Eric Regan (15-24) and a bantamweight collision between Joe Madrid (4-2) and Erik Villalobos (1-0).

WSOF 19: Gaethje vs. Palomino will be headlined by a world lightweight championship showdown between undefeated, reigning kingpin Justin Gaethje (13-0) of Safford, Ariz. and aggressive-minded, hard-hitting challenger Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-9) of Miami, Fla.

In co-main event action, the WSOF multi-event, four-man light heavyweight (205 pounds) tournament will kick off with a rematch between superstar Thiago Silva (16-3) of Sao Paulo, Brazil and inspirational fighter Matt “The Hammer” Hamill (11-5) of Loveland, Ohio.

The evening’s four-fight main card airs live on NBCSN, beginning at 9 p.m. ET (7 p.m. MT local time), with preliminary bouts streaming live on NBCSports.com, beginning at 7 p.m. ET (5 p.m. MT local time).

Lucas Montoya, of Layton, Utah, carries a four-fight winning streak into the contest and is 7-1 in his past eight overall contests. The 28-year-old made his WSOF debut in August, scoring a first-round stoppage of Jimmy Spicuzza. He now meets Raymond Pina, of Tucson, Ariz., who looks to rebound from the lone professional loss of his career.

Benny Madrid, of Phoenix, Ariz., opened his career with seven straight wins, including four wins by knockout and two by submission. He now looks to rebound from the first two losses of his professional run. He now meets Jimmy Spicuzza, of Las Vegas, a three-time WSOF veteran.

Joe Gigliotta, of Cleveland, Ohio, is an undefeated prospect, who has earned his first three wins by stoppage, including two submissions and one knockout. He now faces Brendan Tierney, of Tempe, Ariz., a Power MMA fighter who has yet to fight to a decision in 17 career outings.

Randy Steinke, of Glendale, Ariz., is an MMA Lab fighter who makes his WSOF debut on the strength of a six-fight winning streak. He now faces undefeated prospect Juan Archuleta, of Venice Beach, Calif., who has earned three of his first five wins by knockout.

Dan Huber, of Mesa, Ariz., makes his WSOF debut against Israel Aquino, of Reno, Nev., who fights for a professional for the first time.

Matthew Frincu, an Australian native now living in Arizona, brings a three-fight winning streak to the cage and has never fought to a judges’ decision in six professional contests. He faces Eric Regan, of Phoenix, Ariz., who makes his WSOF debut.

Joe Madrid, of Tucson, Ariz., fights for the first time under the WSOF banner against fellow promotional newcomer Erik Villalobos, of Glendale, Ariz.

MAIN CARD
Champ Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Palomino for lightweight title
Matt Hamill vs. Thiago Silva – light heavyweight tourney opening round
Jake Heun vs. Teddy Holder – light heavyweight tourney reserve bout
Timur Valiev vs. Ed West

PRELIMINARY CARD
Krasimir Mladenov vs. Clifford Starks
Lucas Montoya vs. Raymond Pina
Benny Madrid vs. Jimmy Spicuzza
Joe Gigliotti vs. Brendan Tierney
Randy Steinke vs. Juan Archuleta
Dan Huber vs. Israel Aquino
Matthew Frincu vs. Eric Regan
Joe Madrid vs. Erik Villalobos

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

George Tahdooahnippah (34-1, 2 KOs) has issued a warning to Danish super middleweight Patrick Nielsen (23-1, 11 KOs) ahead of their WBA International Championship clash on March 14 at the Ballerup Super Arena in Copenhagen.

‘’I’m coming to shatter all of his hopes and dreams,’’ proclaims the Oklahoma-based boxer. ‘’If Nielsen thinks he is going to go straight through me and challenge for world titles, he is mistaken. I’m going to ruin all his plans and make Denmark my second home.’’

Tahdooahnippah, a top-ten world ranked super middleweight, is a member of the infamous Native American Comanche tribe. By claiming Nielsen’s scalp, the 36 year-old intends to prove that the Comanche’s warrior spirit is alive and well in 2015.

‘’A lot of people think the Native Americans all died out but nothing has died within the Comanche community. I’m going to prove that. I’m a real life wild Comanche and I’m going to bring it.

‘’I’ve got the whole Comanche Nation behind me and with their support I can’t lose. The fire is burning and I’m ready to cause an upset. Fighting is in my blood and I’ve never met anyone tougher than me. They’re going to know about the Comanche warrior in Denmark after I’ve finished with Nielsen.

‘’I want to entertain and I want share my culture with the world. That’s why I’m bringing my Fancy War Dancer with me. He’s going to rush the ring, wow the crowd and put the medicine down, and then the Comanche Boy is going to come in and destroy. Once the dust has settled, the fans will get to see my Comanche victory dance.

‘’When you kill your prey, when you claim a victim, you’ve got to honour their journey and honour their passing into the afterlife. That’s what the dance is about. It’s a celebration and a proclamation of victory! Two warriors battling and I got the kill!’’

The WBA International Super Middleweight Championship showdown has been labelled a ‘Clash of the Clans’, with the Comanche warrior travelling to Denmark to face the Viking boxer.

‘’I don’t know too much about the Vikings, just what I’ve seen in the American history books,’’ admits Tahdooahnippah. ‘’But I know they were warriors. Nielsen’s forefathers were warriors and so were mine. It’s Comanche vs. Viking – a battle of wills! It’s going to come down to whoever wants it more!’’

Nielsen vs. Tahdooahnippah tops the bill at the Nordic Fight Night on March 14. All the action will be broadcast live in Denmark on TV3 Sport 2 from 19.00 and TV3+ from 21.00. Tickets are available via billetlugen.dk.

Follow all the action as Keith Thurman defends the WBA Welterweight title against Robert Guerrero. The action kicks off at 8:30 PM / 5:30 PM PT as Adrien Broner battles John Molina in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

12 Rounds–WBA Welterweight Title–Keith Thurman (24-0, 21 KO’s) vs Robert Guerrero (31-2-1, 18 KO’s)

Round 1 Thurman lands a combination..Right from Guerrero…Right to body from Thurman..right..right to body..10-9 Thurman

Round 2 Thurman lands a uppercut..Hard body shot…Hard right…20-18 Thurman

Round 3 Guerrero lands a left..Right from Thurman..Right from Guerrero…29-28 Thurman

Round 4 Thurman has a bumo over his left eye from an accidental headbutt..Combination from Thurman…right hand//another right..39-37 Thurman

Round 5 Right from Thurman..counter right..Guerrero lands a body punch and a right..49-47 Thurman

Round 6 Left from Guerrero…right and left from Thurman…right…Right from Thurman..left..Big right..Left…59-56 Thurman

Round 7 Thurmna lands a right…body shot..69-65 Thurman

Round 8 Guerrero lands a combination..Right from Thurman..right..right..79-74 Thurman

Round 9 BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES GUERRERO…GUERRERO IS CUT VERY BADLY AROUND THE LEFT EYE,,,Thurman unloading in the corner…89-82 Thurman

Round 10 Thurman lands a right…Guerrero lands a left,…Strong right from Thurman…Body shots from Guerrero…Hard combo from Thurman on the ropes…Great action on the ropes..99-91 Thurman

Round 11 Combination from Guerrero on the ropes..Big right from Thurman..108-101 Thurman

Round 12 Hard combination from Guerrero..Big right from Thurman…left from a charging Guerrero..Right from Thurman..117-111 Thurman

120-107, 118-109, 118-108 for Keith Thurman

12 Rounds–Super Lightweights–Adrien Broner (29-1, 22 KO’s) vs John Molina Jr. (27-5, 22 KO’s)

Round 1 Left from Broner..left..10-9 Broner

Round 2 Molina lands a right..Nice combo from Broner..left..20-18 Broner

Round 3 Right from Broner..jab..jab..Right from Molina to the side of the head..Good right..Jab and right from Broner..Molina lands a hard right.Right from Broner…30-27 Broner

Round 4 Broner lands a left..Jab..40-36 Broner

Round 5 Molina lands a right..left hook from Broner..50-46 Broner

Round 6 Combination and uppercut from Broner..2 jabs…combination..good right..60-55 Broner

Round 7 Broner lands a combonation..70-64 Broner

Round 8 Good combination from Broner…80-73 Broner

Round 9 Ref Robert Byrd admonishing both fighters..Body shot from Broner…90-82 Broner

Round 10 Left from Molina..Body shot..Good right from Broner..combination..left from Molina..100-92 Broner

Round 11 110-102 Broner

Round 12 Right from Broner..uppercut…120-111 Broner

120-108 twice and 118-110 for Broner

219-54 for Punches by Broner

Amnat Ruenroeng scored a 12-round unanimous decision over hometown hero Zou Shiming to retain the IBF Flyweight title at the Cotai Arena at the Ventian in Macao, China.

Shiming was credited with a knockdown in round two but replays revealed that it was more a of a push. Ruenroeng was very accurate with his hard right hands and that proved to be the difference of the fight as he won all scorecards by a 116-111 tally.

Ruenroeng, 112 lbs of Thailand is now 15-0. Shiming, 111.6 lbs of China is now 6-1.

Glen Tapia scored a 3rd round stoppage over Daniel Dawson in a scheduled 10-round Jr. Middleweight bout.

In round three, Tapia staggered Dawson with a double right and then hurt him again with a third right. Tapia continued to unload with hard shots in the corner and Dawson did not punch back and the fight was stopped at 1:42 of round three.

Tapia, 154 lbs of Passaic, NJ is now 23-1 with 15 knockouts. Dawson, 153 1/2 lbs of Perth, AUS is now 40-5-1.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Joseph Diaz scored 4 knockdowns en route to a 3rd round stoppage over Juan Luis Hernandez in a scheduled 10-round Featherweight bout at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles.

Diaz dropped Hernandez in round two from right hook to the body. In the next round, Diaz sent Hernandez to the canvas from another body shot. Diaz dropped Hernandez with another body shot. Hernandez was able to contine only to eat another hard left to the body that sent him to the canvas at the end of the round which ruled an accidental punch after the bell. Hernandez could not continue and the fight was over.

Diaz, 124 lbs of South Elmonte, CA is now 15-0 with 10 knockouts. Hernandez, 122 1/2 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 17-5-1.

Christian Gonzalez remained perfect by stopping Julio Sarinana in round six of their six round Lightweight bout.

Sarinana dropped Gonzalez in round two from a hard 1-2 combination. In round four, Gonzalez was cut around the left eye from am accidental headbutt. Sarinana was deducted a point in round five from a headbutt. Sarinana’s eye started to swell in round six and the bout was stopped because of that at 2:02 of the final round.

Gonzalez, 131 3/4 lbs of Buena Park, Ca is now 9-0 with 9 knockouts. Sarinan, 133 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is now 3-3-1.

Carlos Morales won a 6-round majority decision over previously undefeated Santiago Guevara in a Lightweight contest.

Morales was cut in round two from an accidental headbutt.

Morales, 131 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 59-55, 58-56 and 57-57 and is now 8-1-3. Guevara, 131 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is now 8-1.

Philadelphia (March 6, 2015 ) – Tonight!!! at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, streaking Jr. Lightweight Jason Sosa (13-1-3, 9 KO’s) returns to the ring when he takes on Bergman Aguilar (12-1-1, 4 KO’s) in scheduled 8-round bout.

Sosa weighed 130 lbs while Aguilar checked in at 129.5 lbs at Thursday’s weigh-in

Sosa of Camden, New Jersey has been on a roll as he has won 9 consecutive bouts of which 8 have come via knockout.

Sosa just completed a month long training camp in Easton, PA. with his fellow members of Mark Cipparone’s Club 1957 Management and is focused for Aguilar.

“Training was great. I went to camp with all my guys. This actually was my first training camp and I can clearly say I am in the best shape of my life,” said the 26 year-old.

“I really don’t know much about Aguilar other than he is from Costa Rica. My trainer Chino Rivas does all the scouting. I do the training but I prepare myself for anything.”

Sosa, whose only loss was a short notice fight at 140 pounds considers himself to be an undefeated fighter.

“I consider myself an undefeated fighter. That loss changed me and ever since then I have been getting better with each fight. I only had 3 amateur fights and that why I keep getting better. I keep going forward and 2015 is my year.”

The native of Camden, New Jersey continued speaking about his upward curve towards being a contender.

“As soon as I turned professional It was something the struck in me. I thought, I am a professional and now I am taking this to another level.”

“I want to thank all my supporters and that includes my manager Mark Cipparine and Club 1957 Management. You will see a great performance on Friday night.”

“There has been a lot of talk about Sosa’s lack of fights during the past year and to set the record straight the business of boxing sometimes hits harder than the opponents. This is true of Sosa and I am here to reassure all the boxing so called “experts” that Jason has been perfecting his craft every inch of the way! Now that all the politics seem to be lined up you can expect great things from this KO King!”, said Sosa’s manager, Mark Cipparone of Club 1957 Management.

Sosa is promoted by Peltz Boxing.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Mar. 6, 2015) – M-1 Global has announced a rematch between M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan “Buki” Buchinger and challenger Tural Ragimov in the M-1 Challenge 56 co-feature Friday, April 10 in Moscow, Russia.

Another much anticipated rematch will headline M-1 Challenge 56 as M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (26-2-0, 10 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) defends his coveted title belt against dangerous challenger Ramasan Emeev (11-3-0, 2 KO/TKO, 5 SUB). In their first fight last September, Vasilevsky captured title belt from Emeev, by way of a fourth-round stoppage from punches, at M-1 Challenge 51: Fightspirit in St. Petersburg.

M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan Buchinger
Last October 17 at M-1 Challenge 52: Battle of Narts, Buchinger (28-4-0, 7 KO/TKO, 16 SUB) captured the vacant M-1 Challenge featherweight title, stopping Ragimov (9-2-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) on punches in the fourth round of the event’s Fight of the Night.

Fighting out of his native Slovakia, Buchinger hasn’t lost a fight in nearly 3 ½ years, winning seven in a row and 10 of his last 11. The 29-year-old, who represents Team MMA Spirit, is undefeated in three M-1 Challenge events.

How tough is Ragimov? He suffered damages to both hands – fractured finger on his left, torn ligaments to the right – during his fight with Buchinger. Ragimov has a 2-1-0 record in M-1 Challenge competition.

Vasilevsky vs Emeev 2, M-1 Challenge 56, 10/04/15 teaser
Vasilevsky vs Emeev 2, M-1 Challenge 56

M-1 Challenge 56 will be streamed live in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Andriod and Apple smart phones and tablets.

All fights and fighters are subject to change. Additional fights to be announced

Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 55 live on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., as well as nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in more than 30 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Information

www.mixfight.ru
www.wmmaa.org
www.M1Global.tv
www.M-1Global.com

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1Global
@VFinkelchtein
@M1GlobalNews

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244
ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in the realm of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St Petersburg, Amsterdam and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2015 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global’s Champions amongst the greatest in the sport. M-1 Global’s greatest asset is renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV: Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you by M-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database. It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers. Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!

Zou Shiming 111.6 – Amnat Ruenroeng 112
Glen Tapia 154 – Daniel Dawson 153.4
Ik Yang 140 – Patomsuk Pathompothong 139.6

Tony Harrison destroyed Antwone Smith in round two of a scheduled 10-round Middleweight bout at the MGM Grand Ballroom in Las Vegas.

Harrison dropped Smith twice in round one and pummeled him more in round two until the fight was stopped at 19 seconds of round two.

Harrison, 155 1/2 lbs of Detroit is now 20-0 with 16 knockouts. Smith, 156 lbs is now 23-6-1.

Ievgen Khytrov remained perfect by scoring an 8th round stoppage over Jorge Melendez in a scheduled 10-round Middleweight bout.

Khytrov scored a knockdown in round eight and the bout was stopped at 42 seconds of round eight.

Khytrov, 160 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 9-0 with 9 knockouts. Melendez, 159 lbs of Puerto Rico is 28-5-1.

Erickson Lubin remained undefeated by scoring a 1st round stoppage over Kenneth Council in a scheduled 8-round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Lubin dropped Council in round one from a perfect left hand. Council was sent to the deck for a second time from a hard combination. Lubin ended things when he landed 10 booming shots and the referee stopped the bout as Council fell to the canvas at 1:33.

Lubin, 153 lbs of Orlando, FL is niw 10-0 with 7 knockouts. Council, 154.2 lbs of North Carolina is now 8-1.

Caleb Plant remained undefeated by scoring a 1st round stoppage over Daniel Henry in a scheduled 6-round Middleweight bout.

Plant dropped Henry in round one from a hard right hand. Plant finished things after Henry got turned around and when he turned forward, he ate a vicious right that knocked him flat on his back and the fight was stopped at 2:29.

Plant, 162.6 lbs of Nashville, TN is now 7-0 with 5 knockouts. Henry, 163 lbs of Austin, TX is now 2-3-3.

Jamontay Clark withstood a 3rd round knockdown to win a 4-round unanimous decision over Rick Graham in a Super Welterweight bout.

Ckark, 149 1/4 lbs won by scores of 39-37 on all cards and is now 5-0. Graham, 149 3/4 lbs is 2-5-2.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a live broadcast of Resurrection Fighting Alliance this Friday, March 6 at 10 p.m. ET, as RFA 24: Smith vs. Romero emanates from Mystic Lake Casino & Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota.

The entire main card will be televised live at 10 p.m. ET nationwide in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

In the main event, a new RFA welterweight champion will be established when Benjamin Smith returns to the RFA cage fresh off a dominant performance in November to face newcomer Tat “Mean Bean” Romero, who has not lost a fight in three years. Meanwhile, the co-feature pits Minnesota buzzsaw Melvin Blumer against UFC and RFA vet Jeff “The Big Frog” Curran in a bantamweight bout.

“I am thrilled to announce that RFA is bringing another title fight to Minnesota,” stated RFA president Ed Soares. “Benjamin Smith vs. Tat Romero is an exciting headliner that will determine our next welterweight champion.”

Smith (13-2) returns to the RFA octagon after winning impressively in the co-main event of RFA 20 in November. His triumph came on the heels of a busy training camp in October that was interrupted for 9 days, while he and his wife were in the hospital for the birth of their son Wylde. Smith was able to draw inspiration from the newest member of his family and pull out the victory in his opponent’s hometown. He now looks to capture RFA gold in his own backyard.

Romero (24-5) enters the title fight on a 6-fight tear and has not tasted defeat in three years. Over the past decade, Romero has gained a loyal fan base for his vicious style of fighting, that has seen him earn multiple regional titles and 21 stoppages in 24 career victories. Romero sees his shot at RFA gold as the opportunity he has been working toward his entire career.

The co-main event of RFA 24 will see the RFA debut of Melvin Blumer (11-2). Blumer is one half of the storied “Bash Brothers” who have a made a name for themselves in the talented Midwest MMA scene, after the identical twins made a successful pro MMA debut on the same card 5 years ago. The other half of the “Bash Brothers” will also be in action at RFA 24. Marvin Blumer (11-4) returns after being nominated for “RFA – 2014 Fight of the Year” for his successful promotional debut in October.

The “Bash Brothers” will both face stiff competition in their respective bantamweight bouts at RFA 24, as they are both tasked with facing men who have challenged for the RFA bantamweight title.

Melvin will welcome back UFC and RFA vet Jeff Curran, who is returning to competition after retiring in the summer of 2013 after an unsuccessful bid at the RFA bantamweight title at RFA 9. Curran is a jiu-jitsu black belt and the lone man in MMA to have competed for all 6 promotions now owned by Zuffa: UFC, PRIDE, WFA, IFL, WEC, and Strikeforce.

In the featured fight of RFA 24, Marvin will fight Jarred “Shutout” Mercado (12-2) who looks to rebound from an unsuccessful title bid at RFA 20 in November. Mercado wrestled at the NCAA Division I program at Northwestern University and has made a name for himself as one of the most effective wrestlers in MMA’s bantamweight division. Mercado is a member of Elevation Fight Team in Denver, Colorado, where he trains alongside RFA alum turned UFC star Brandon “Rukus” Thatch.

The main card of RFA 24 will also include a high-stakes featherweight showdown between RFA fan favorites Dan “Hitman” Moret (7-1) and Daniel “Agent Orange” Swain (12-4-1). In the bantamweight division, undefeated Bellator vet Andre “The Diva” Tieva (8-0) faces RFA vet Matt Brown (9-4). The first bout on the main card will see the return of RFA vet Bojan “Veli” Velickovic (9-3). The Serbian submission specialist will meet North Dakota native Chris “Hitman” Hugh (17-9).

The entire main card of RFA 24: Smith vs. Romero will be televised live on Fight Network starting at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, March 6.

RFA 24 will be the promotion’s second event to take place in the state of Minnesota. It will be the first time the RFA has visited “The Land of 10,000 Lakes” in 2015.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com and follow on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

ARLINGTON, TX (March 5, 2015) — Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight champion and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s (BWAA) Fighter of the Year TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD is movin’ on up — to the junior welterweight division — where he will take on THOMAS “Thunder” DULORME, the No. 2-world-rated contender, for the vacant WBO World Junior Welterweight title. Crawford vs. Dulorme will take place Saturday, April 18, at College Park Center located on the campus of the University of Texas Arlington in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The world championship fight will be televised as part of a split site doubleheader live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Promoted By Top Rank®, in association with Gary Shaw Productions, Foreman Boys Promotions and Tecate, tickets to the Crawford-Dulorme world championship event will go on sale Tomorrow! Friday, March 6, at 10:00 a.m. CT. Priced at $200, $100, $60, $40 and $25, plus applicable fees, tickets can be purchased at College Park Center box office, online at www.utatickets.com/ or www.utacollegepark.com/ or by phone at (817) 272-9595.

“I am ready to do bigger and better things at 140,” said Crawford.

“I’m here to prove to the world that I am the best fighter in the junior welterweight division,” said Dulorme. “Crawford has an undefeated record but he’s never won a fight at 140 lbs. I’m envisioning a hard-fought victory, one that I will bring back home to my people of Puerto Rico.”

“Dulorme is a good, well-rounded boxer. We are excited because the 140 pound division will bring the best out of Terence,” said Brian McIntyre, Crawford’s co-trainer and co-manager. “The 140 division is loaded with top fighters. This is great for Terence as everyone will soon see.”

“Terence had a breakout year in 2014 capturing the world’s attention with three career-best world championship victories en route to earning Fighter of the Year accolades,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “He will be looking continue that momentum on April 18 when he returns to HBO, on the hunt for another world title against Thomas Dulorme of Puerto Rico.”

“I’m very pleased that I was able to get this fight done with Top Rank,” said Gary Shaw. “Terence Crawford is considered one of the best Lightweights in boxing, but he is moving up to junior welterweight where he will face a very determined and talented Thomas Dulorme, who’s undefeated at 140 pounds. I want to thank HBO for showcasing what I perceive is another great fight for the fans. I smell an upset in the making. This will be the start of a great run of fantastic fights for HBO.”

“With Terence Crawford’s star having emerged in 2014, the question now is how high that star ascends or if his opponent Thomas Dulorme will invert the trajectory,” said Peter Nelson, vice president of programming, HBO Sports. “As lightweight champion last year, Crawford earned his BWAA Fighter of the Year honors with bold, stylish victories against top competitors, a streak which continues in stride up the scale against the hungry Dulorme, who is undefeated at 140-lbs. It will be a split-site doubleheader not to be missed on our late night Boxing After Dark franchise.”

Crawford (25-0, 17 KOs), of Omaha, NE, makes his 2015 ring debut looking to build on his star-making 2014 which featured three world championship victories as well as Fighter of the Year honors from the BWAA and major media alike. He began his career-best year last March 1, just 13 days short of the sixth anniversary of his professional debut. Crawford captured the WBO lightweight title, dethroning defending champion Ricky Burns on Burns’ home turf of Glasgow, Scotland. Scoring a powerful and unanimous decision, Crawford put the boxing world on notice with his virtuoso performance as he pulled out all stops in dismantling Burns, rocking the defending champion throughout the fight, while switching back and forth between orthodox and southpaw stances. He followed that with a dramatic and critically-acclaimed knockout victory of undefeated former world champion and Cuban Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa on June 28 in a Fight of the Year nominee. It was one of the most-watched fights of the year with over 1.2 million viewers catching the live, first-time airing of the fight, according to Nielsen Media Research. He concluded 2014 on November 29 with a thorough shellacking of one-time world title challenger and No. 1 contender Ray Beltran, winning 11 of the 12 rounds. Crawford is only the second Nebraska native to be recognized as a boxing world champion. Perry “Kid” Graves, from Rock Bluff, captured the welterweight crown, knocking out Johnny Alberts in Brooklyn, in 1914, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

Dulorme (22-1, 14 KOs), of Carolina, Puerto Rico, graduated to the professional ranks in 2008 after a stellar amateur career which included a sterling 140-2 record. He has long been a fan-favorite of Puerto Ricans for his slick all-action fighting style. Dulorme enters this fight riding a two-year six-bout winning streak, with his career-best victories coming in back-to-back fights in 2014 and both televised on HBO. He opened up 2014 with a 10-round unanimous decision victory over undefeated contender Karim Mayfield to capture the NABF super lightweight title and ended the year unifying his NABF title with the NABO junior welterweight title via an exciting 10-round decision over Hank Lundy. A consensus Top-Five contender, Dulorme is world-rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Association (WBA), No. 3 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and No. 4 by the WBO and the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/GaryShawProductions or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, twitter.com/GaryShawBoxing or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordDulorme to join the conversation on Twitter.

ORANGE, Calif. (Mar. 5, 2015) – All-action super bantamweight Juan Reyes (11-1-3, 1 KO) of Riverside, Calif. battles Heriberto Delgado (11-1, 6 KOs) of Tijuana, Mex. in Thompson Boxing Promotions “Night of Champions” 8-round main event.

The Reyes-Delgado match up originates from the Doubletree Hotel in Orange, Calif. this Saturday, March 7.

Proceeds from the sold-out, private event will benefit the Junior Foundation, a charity working hard to meet the needs of families affected by childhood cancer.

“We are absolutely delighted to help raise money for such a wonderful foundation,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing. “It’s a tremendous cause, and hopefully the money raised on Saturday night will make a difference.”

“Our guests are in for an outstanding fight between Reyes and Delgado. Reyes throws more punches than anyone can count, and Delgado has a similar style with knockout ability.”

Reyes, known for his fast and furious punches, has been thrilling boxing audiences with his all-out style since turning professional nearly four years ago. He has a calm demeanor outside of the ring, but once inside the squared circle, he becomes a different person.

“My goal in every fight is to outwork my opponent and land as many punches as possible,” Reyes said. “In boxing, speed is just as important as power.”

The sold-out, private event also features top bantamweight prospect Carlos Carlson (16-0, 10 KOs) of Tijuana matched against Jesus Serrano (6-1-2, 5 KOs) of Sonora, Mex. in the 8-round co-main event.

Carlson is coming off a tremendous year in which he gained quality wins against bantamweight veterans Javier Gallo and Miguel Tamayo. He is quickly becoming one of the division’s brightest young talents.

“I have one goal in mind and that is to keep getting better in hopes of challenging for a world title,” said the 24-year-old Carlson. “I know my time will come, and when it does, I’ll be ready.”

In other action, once-beaten junior lightweight Erick Ituarte (9-1-1, 2 KOs) of Santa Ana, Calif. aims for his tenth professional victory against Erick Aguirre (4-5-1, 2 KOs) of San Diego in a fight scheduled for 6-rounds.

Lastly, our 15th Year Anniversary is just around the corner. Our event date is Friday, May 29th, location is Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, find us on Google+ and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

About the Junior Foundation:

Junior Foundation Charities was founded in 2010 and has since worked hard to meet the needs of families affected by childhood cancer. The mission of Junior Foundation Charities is to empower kids with cancer by providing them with all their basic necessities along with emotional support. Our purpose is to develop the educational, economical and social well being of children diagnosed with cancer. Junior Foundation Charities has over 200 registered families who receive assistance and support. Our support programs expands through more than 7 hospitals and our impact continues to grow everyday.

Junior Foundation Charities was started in honor of Junior, a teenage boy who battled AML leukemia whose goal and focus was to make sure those around him had everything they needed and more. At only 17 years old Junior became an angel, but has since left us with his legacy, to help others battling childhood cancer.

For more information, please visit www.JuniorFoundation.org.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 5, 2015) – The action-packed lineup for “Bellator MMA: Brooks vs. Jansen” continues to fill, and the latest round of additions includes a key lightweight matchup between two international contenders with a combined 50 career victories, as well as four intriguing preliminary contests.

The new matchups include a main-card lightweight contest of Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2), as well as preliminary bouts of bantamweights Jared “The Jackhammer” Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1), middleweights Joey “Mexicutioner” Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian “The Professional Predator” Rogers (11-7), lightweights Saad “Assassin” Awad (17-6) vs. Rob “C4” Sinclair (12-2) and flyweights Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1).

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” takes place on Friday, April 10, at Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Lightweight World Champion Will Brooks vs. top contender Dave Jansen, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET), while preliminary bouts stream live on Spike.com (7 p.m. ET).

Tickets for “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen,” which start at just $38, are already on sale at Bellator.com and Bren.UCI.edu

The 23-year-old Held, a native of Tychy, Poland, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who boasts one of the most dangerous submission games in the world. A former no-gi grappling world champion, Held has been competing in mixed martial arts professionally since 2008 and has earned 11 of his 20 career wins by tapout. With just one loss in his past 11 appearances, Held owns Bellator MMA wins over Patricky Pitbull, Nate Jolly, Derek Anderson, Rodrigo Cavalheiro, Ryan Healy, Rich Clementi, Murad Machaev, Derrick Kennington and Phillipe Nover.

The 26-year-old Sarnavskiy, from Omsk, Russia, has an equally impressive record and has earned the rank of Master of Sport in hand-to-hand combat. A seven-time Bellator MMA veteran, Sarnavskiy is currently enjoying a five-fight winning streak and is 10-1 in his past 11 appearances. In his 30 career victories, 25 have come by stoppage, including 18 submissions and seven knockouts.

Papazian, of West Hills, Calif., is a seven-year veteran of the sport who has been training in martial arts since he was just 6 years old. A former King of the Cage flyweight champion, Papazian is 3-1 in his past four outings. He faces Shippen, of Lake Forest, Calif. A Reign Training Center product, Shippen is 11-1 in his past 12 appearances and has earned 13 of his 14 career wins by stoppage, including five knockouts and eight submissions.

The hard-hitting Beltran, of San Diego, Calif., Beltran is a three-time Bellator MMA veteran and former light heavyweight who now makes his first appearance in the middleweight divisions. A slugger by trade, 11 of Beltran’s 15 career wins have come by way of knockout. He now meets fellow knockout artist Rogers, of Denver, Colo. With nine Bellator MMA appearances to his name, Rogers also prefers to stand and bang and has earned nine of his 11 career wins with strikes.

Awad, of San Bernadino, Calif., is a Millennia MMA product who owns five wins under the Bellator MMA banner, four of which have come by stoppage. Fourteen of his 17 career wins have come by stoppage, including seven knockouts and seven submissions. He faces Sinclair, of Manchester, England, who is 8-1 in his past nine appearances. Ten of Sinclair’s 12 career wins have come by way of finish, including nine knockouts, and he now makes his Bellator MMA debut.

Santa Maria, of Whittier, Calif., is a Reign Training Center fighter who made his professional debut in March 2014 and has already picked up three victories, including a November win under the Bellator MMA banner. He now faces Ramirez, of Corona, Calif., who suffered a split-decision loss in his professional debut and now hopes to earn his first official career victory.

Additional contests, including one more main-card matchup, will be announced shortly

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” – Friday, April 10, Bren Events Center, Irvine, Calif.

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Lightweight Title Fight: Champ Will Brooks (15-1) vs. Dave Jansen (20-2)
Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Rafael Carvalho (10-1) vs. Joe Schilling (2-3)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2)

Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Jared Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Joey Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian Rogers (11-7)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Saad Awad (17-6) vs. Rob Sinclair (12-2)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1)

About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike TV:
Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

LOS ANGELES (March 5) – Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. and the undefeated stars of
LA FIGHT CLUB’S premiere event hosted a special Los Angeles media workout on Wednesday, March 4 in anticipation of their March 6 bouts. LA FIGHT CLUB will be featured as part of the popular, fan-favorite Golden Boy Live! series on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes and is set to premiere on Friday, March 6 live from The Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

In attendance, televised fighters Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez, Santiago “El Lobito” Guevara, Carlos “The Solution” Morales, and Irish middleweight prospect Jason Quigley all shared about their upcoming bouts. Other rising stars featured in the non-televised undercard in attendance at the media work out included Roy “Pitbull” Tapia, Cesar “The Great” Quiñonez, Jesus Delgadoand Emilio Sanchez.

As previously announced, tickets for the premiere event of LA FIGHT CLUB are sold out. Fight fans will still have the opportunity to watch the live telecast on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes (10:00 p.m, ET / 7:00 p.m. PT) and are welcome to join the fighters post fight at The Belasco Theater when it converts into a night club. Upcoming events for LA FIGHT CLUB are scheduled to take place the first Thursday of every month on April 2, May 7 and June 4.

Below is what the fighters had to say during the media workout at Azteca Boxing Club in the City of Bell:

JOSEPH “JO JO” DIAZ JR., Super Bantamweight Prospect:

“I am very excited to be headlining LA FIGHT CLUB. I know this is the first of many LA shows and I am glad I was part of the first one.

“I am looking forward to fight night, I am ready and I am confident. I am going to give Los Angeles a great show.”

CHRISTIAN “CHIMPA” GONZALEZ, Super Featherweight Prospect:
“I’ve been training for seven weeks now and I feel great, I am on weight and ready to go for Friday night. I’m most excited about the atmosphere that will be at The Belasco since it is sold out, and of course because it’s my first time on TV in the U.S. I’m very excited.”

SANTIAGO “EL LOBITO” GUEVARA, Super Featherweight Prospect:

“For this training camp, we have been working on a lot of conditioning, strength and speed. Winning this match would be a door opener. I would love to fight on this series every month, keep showing fans in LA who I am.”

Carlos “The Solution” Morales, Super Featherweight Prospect:

“I feel good. I’m excited and ready to fight on Friday night. Santiago is a solid opponent, I am sure it’s going to be a great fight. I am really looking forward to being on TV for the first time and that motivates me. This is what I do for a living. I am always in shape I am always ready.”

Jason Quigley, Middleweight Prospect:

“My training camp started in early January. I have been working on inside fighting, head movements and grinding down my opponents. I know my opponent is coming to fight, and it will be one hell of fight for sure.”

Roy “Pit Bull” Tapia, Super Bantamweight Prospect:

“I have had eight weeks of training: strength condition, running stairs, hills and trails. I am going to go in the ring, keep my hands up and put pressure on my opponent. This fight represents the next step for me, a win and a good show on March 6 can move me up to the televised portion of the card. That is the goal.”

Cesar “The Great” Quiñonez, Super Lightweight Prospect:

“I feel really good, I’ve been training hard and I’m ready to give Los Angeles a great show and display my talents. I just want to display my craft and show that I can box; hit and not get hit, that’s the key. Fernando [Vargas] always tells me to be conscious of my hands are low and to touch my temples every time both my hands are up.”

Jesus Delgado, Lightweight Prospect:

“I just want to give a good fight and come out with a win. I want to look impressive. I am not worried about my opponent, I am confident and ready. I feel good, and I can’t wait to fight in front of my family and friends.”

Emilio Sanchez, Super Bantamweight Prospect:
“Training has gone good, I’ve been training hard and I’m already on weight. I’m going to use my jab to open up my opponent’s defense and focus on hitting the body and get the win. I’m looking forward to fighting in front of all the LA fans at the sold out crowd. I’m excited to give a great show and to have a lot of support from my family and friends.”

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LA FIGHT CLUB: Diaz vs. Hernandez is a 10-round super bantamweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT.

The LA FIGHT CLUB is a monthly boxing series premiering March 6 and will take place on the first Thursday of each month on April 2, May 7 and June 4. It will showcase the brightest stars in the sport and present these exciting matchups in a nightclub atmosphere with an original setup. The boxing ring will be set on the main floor of the Belasco Theater with on-camera standing room for fans in front of the ring similar to a concert pit, as well as reserved balcony and floor seats. Los Angeles’ own DJ Ray of Big Boy’s Neighborhood will spin music during the fights and fans will be able to dance and mingle with the fighters when the venue converts into a night club, in a VIP experience not matched by any promoter in the industry.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.belascous.com, www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, www.FOXDeportes.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @FoxSports, @FoxSports1, @FoxDeportes, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/ TheBelascoLA, www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @belascola and follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB.

6 March 2015 – Manila: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has announced two additional bouts for ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS. In the co-main event, Filipino superstar Mark Striegl will make his promotional debut when he takes on the undefeated Casey Suire. Accomplished kickboxer Eugene Toquero also returns to action when he faces Indonesia’s Brianata Rosadhi. ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS will be headlined by a ONE Welterweight World Championship bout between incumbent champion Ben Askren and the number one contender, Luis Santos.

Tickets for ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS are available now at www.smtickets.com. Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience for VVIPs at PHP5380. Tickets priced at PHP3180, PHP1280, PHP640 and PHP220 are also available. Early bird promotions for Gold, Silver and Bronze categories are available until 20 April. Prices include ticketing fee.

CEO OF ONE Championship, Victor Cui, stated, “ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS is set to be the biggest sporting event to be held in the Philippines this year. Mark Striegl is a Filipino MMA superstar who has proven that he has what it takes to compete with the best in the world. He now tests himself against the best in the world in ONE Championship’s stacked Bantamweight division, beginning with the undefeated Casey Suire. Both mixed martial artists are known for their exciting styles. Get set for a night of adrenaline pumping mixed martial arts action as ONE Championship goes live around the world on 24 April!”

Mark Striegl is a Filipino mixed martial arts superstar who has found success in every promotion he has competed in. Striegl has a proven grappling pedigree, and has won eleven of his bouts by submission. Striegl will be making his ONE debut in the bantamweight division after exploding onto the MMA scene with twelve straight wins in the featherweight division.

Casey Suire is an undefeated mixed martial artist currently training in Indonesia. He has finished all of his opponents, with the majority of them being submission victories. Suire currently trains with fellow undefeated mixed martial artist Fransino Tirta. Suire has knocked down all challenges put in front of him thus far, but faces his toughest test yet as he takes on the popular Filipino star, Striegl, in his hometown.

Eugene Toquero is an accomplished kickboxer who has impressed since making his debut in ONE Championship in 2013. Toquero’s charisma and energy has charmed mixed martial arts fans in Asia and his performances have been impressive as well. He notched his most notable victory the last time he stepped into the ONE Championship cage when he defeated rising prospect Gianni Subba convincingly.

Brianata Rosadhi is a Wushu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who will be making his return to ONE Championship. He has won multiple regional titles in Wushu Hailing from East Java, Rosadhi is one of the top mixed martial artists emerging from Indonesia and will look to notch his first win in ONE Championship when he takes on Toquero.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA

About ONE
With a 90%+ market share in Asia, ONE Championship™ is Asia’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

4-division and current Middleweight champion Miguel Cotto has signed with Roc Nation Sports according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“We are really happy to have this partnership with Roc Nation, and we are going to do our best as always to fight at the same level I have always fought at,” Cotto said. “We are going to discuss the opponents and the venue, but the best option for us is to be in New York.”

David Itskowitch, the chief operating officer of Roc Nation Sports’ boxing division, used to be the COO at Golden Boy Promotions and got to know Cotto when Golden Boy promoted his fights with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Austin Trout. Itskowitch had been pursuing Cotto for months.

“We bring a lot to the table beyond the world of boxing,” Itskowitch said. “We can bring certain things in boxing that were attractive to him, but there’s a lot that we can help establish for him in his years beyond the ring.”

“I am just finishing the last part of my career by doing what is in the best interest for me and my family,” Cotto said. “We had the opportunity to work with and have nice relationships with Top Rank and Golden Boy [for two fights] and now we have an agreement with Roc Nation. That was the best option for us. Just like any other businessman, I am just thinking about the benefits, the money and the opportunity in this deal.

Middleweight champion Miguel Cotto has left Top Rank to join Roc Nation Sports. “I am just finishing the last part of my career by doing what is in the best interest for me and my family,” Cotto said.
“When you talk about Miguel Cotto, it’s not only about Miguel Cotto the boxer. Miguel Cotto has a company [Cotto Promotions] that Roc Nation is going to bring more interest to. I’m in the last stage of my career. I need to have other things after my career.”

“I don’t know what happened, but ever since I’ve been with Miguel [since signing him out of the 2000 Olympics], there has always been a force trying to pull us apart, to divide us,” said Top Rank’s Todd duBoef told ESPN.com. “I can’t constantly fight those that are trying to manipulate him to pull us apart. He is responsible for his decisions, but he has always had people around him manipulating him. He has been corrupted by people who are disingenuous. His conduct shows he can be easily polluted.

“For the past few months, I’ve been calling Gaby to talk about this or that as it relates to Miguel’s next fight. He wouldn’t return calls or texts, kept putting me off. What’s there to hide? Don’t dodge. If he says they got a great offer, be transparent and open. Don’t hide. That is not in my DNA.”

“This time they were playing games with me. They were devious and mischievous,” duBoef said. “They weren’t open and transparent. I’m disappointed in Cotto’s personal conduct. It’s not that he took another deal. But he said to me before the Martinez fight, ‘I’m a man of my word. We’re together. We’ll finish my career together.’ His words meant nothing.”

Michael Yormark, president and chief of branding and strategy for parent company Roc Nation, said a major part of the deal for Cotto was Roc Nation’s ability to do more for Cotto than just promote his fights.

“Boxing is the core of what Miguel does, but he is also looking for other opportunities,” Yormark said. “For a fighter like Miguel, at this point in his career, those things become important — his company, his philanthropic initiatives with his foundation, building his brand beyond the core boxing fans and positioning it in the mainstream. Those are things we do at Roc Nation, and we will be aligning him with companies around the globe.

“Roc Nation is not just a boxing promoter. We have lots of different platforms to offer Miguel Cotto. We are going to help him with his foundation, which is very important to him. Our relationships extend beyond boxing. We will help him build Cotto Promotions into a more diversified company that will include music and entertainment.”

“It all depends on what’s the best for me,” Cotto said. “If it’s 160, I will stay at 160. If the best thing for me to do is to be at 154, I will do it.”

“He’s not tied to any one network and we will seek the best deal,” Itskowitch said, acknowledging that an opponent such as Bundrage or somebody of that caliber would not be a pay-per-view fight.

“I never met him, but who doesn’t know about Jay Z,” Cotto said. “Working with his company is big for me. In this chapter of Miguel Cotto’s career, it will make a difference.”